Click Three Times for the Common App

I was thinking about mentioning this in a blog post when it happened: One of my students thought he had submitted his application after paying the fee, and didn't take the final step of sending off the main portion of the application.

It happens. It happens so often that the Common App sent an email to college counselors last week with this reminder:

• Submit App, Supp, & Payment Separately
  The application, supplement, and payment submissions are three distinct processes.  Despite instructions and reminders, some students mistakenly believe that the application automatically follows a supplement and/or payment.  Please remind your students to confirm the status of their submissions within My Colleges.

College counselors and admissions officers have a lot of complaints about the CommonApp, and this is one of them. It can simplify applying to many colleges,  but it is complicated and students can make mistakes if they are not careful. That is one of the reasons that some schools are thinking about also accepting the Universal App, which Harvard announced this week.

If you or someone you know forgot the head to the signature page for that final step, remember that all is not lost. Submit it as soon as you can, and write a note to the admissions department at the university.  You may be shut out of some schools, or accepted for the January term, but others may be willing to cut you some slack. My student applied early enough that he is still eligible for ED2 at his first choice school. A call from your high school college counselor can't hurt either.

Good luck with the applications!